The theory of evolution states that individuals within a species show wide degrees of variation, and those individuals with characteristics best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This theory grew from studying the variations and similarities in living animals and
The study of finches led to the development of one of the most important scientific theories of all time. In December 1831 a naturalist called Charles Darwin boarded the HMS Beagle, bound on a surveying voyage of South America. Whilst the ship and crew carried out coastline surveys, Darwin was fre
Learn how the analysis of rock layers and ocean sediments supports the theory that rapid climate change may have jump-started human evolution two million years ago in this video from NOVA: "Becoming Human". CREDITS: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/credits/clim10.sci.ess.watcyc.evoclimate/ LICENSE
Fossils are the preserved remains of an animal or plant in a rock. Many of the fossils discovered so far are the ancestors of organisms that are alive today. The study of fossils is called paleontology. Much of what we understand about evolution comes from studying fossils. When organisms die, t
Learn about the evolution of Earth's moon, from its initial formation to its current state, in this video from NASA. Real satellite imagery, as well as simulations, explore how the Moon has changed over time. The video looks at how the Moon likely formed about 4.5 billion years ago, how impacts from
The way we grow and develop in the womb is controlled by our DNA. Small sections of DNA, called genes, carry the code telling the body how to build itself. Usually this works fine, but sometimes those genes carry mistakes in their code. These mistakes, known as mutations, may have no effect, they ma
In nature, all organisms compete with each other for resources in order to survive. Competition between members of the same species is what makes organisms evolve. This theory of competition and ‘survival of the fittest’ is called Natural Selection, and was originally proposed by Charles Darwin i
In this video you will learn how weird and wonderful animals are formed in the process of speciation and the formation of new species. Different selection pressures select for different characteristics. Over generations, the individuals with the beneficial traits will prosper, and others will die
In 1859, Darwin's book on the origin of species was published - and what Darwin had feared then happened: he was fiercely attacked. Because it contradicted everything that people believed in at the time. Author: ZDF/TerraX/R.Schlosshan/F.Haedecke/C.Ruby/F.Wienke/Gruppe5/Jochen Schmidt Translation
Ever since the DHL Parcelcopter debuted with its maiden flight in 2013, we’ve been working to integrate it into real-life logistics situations. Watch the video to see how the Parcelcopter is delivering medicine to a remote island in northern Germany and consumer packages to a mountain village in Bav
When a plant or animal species that once lived stops existing entirely, we say that that species has become extinct. Why do certain species of plants and animals sometimes become extinct? According to the theory of evolution, individuals of the same species show a range of variations. Some individ
Plants are extremely complex and diverse - there are thousands of species. In fact, there are probably somewhere around half a million different species. And these are just the ones we know about - there are no doubt many more that haven’t been fully discovered yet! It is estimated that 1 in 5, so
